Congress questions govt on transfers, walks out again

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly was again witnessed to a walkout by Opposition Congress on Wednesday, this time on the issue of transfers of government employees over last two months.

The Congress members sought discussion on the issue through adjournment motion under rule 67 after Question Hour, while alleging that the government had continuously been ordering transfers in education and health department.

Speaker, Dr Rajeev Bindal, however, said the matter which can be raised and taken up in the House under any other procedural device or rule, such as calling attention motion etc, should not be raised under the rule 67. He said a question had already been asked on the issue, which would come up in the House later.

He said the notices submitted by Congress members for the adjournment motion on the issue hence were not admissible.

Parliamentary Affairs minister, Suresh Bhardwaj said the Opposition party was trying to make the issue out of non-issue again. “They did it yesterday and are doing it again today,” he said.

Bhardwaj said the Opposition has raised some questions. “The government was ready for discussion on any issue in the House under any other rule, but such issues are not accommodated under rule 67.”

He alleges that transfers were a mafia in previous Congress regime.

He said there were six centres in Chief Minister’s office in previous Congress regime and different notes used to come for one transfer.

“We would welcome any Opposition if it is on issues. We are always ready for discussion,” said Bhardwaj.

The Congress member kept raising slogans against the government on the issue and later walked out of the House led by CLP leader, Mukesh Agnihotri.

Earlier, Harshwardhan Chauhan, Congress member from Shillai, alleged that the government had done 20,000 transfers in education and health departments in two months time, despite having taken a decision to ban transfers in the cabinet meeting. “The government is violating norms and is transferring teachers in the midst of a session,” he said.

CM condemns walkout

Chief Minister, Jai Ram Thakur condemned walkout by Congress members and said rule 67 should be taken seriously.

He said the previous Congress government had transferred five lakh employees in five years.

“We are ready for discussion on any issue, provided there is the proper environment for discussion,” he said.

He said the Congress members should come out with names if some ‘dead people’ transferred by the government as alleged by them. “We will look into it.”